Compare towns
Ashland vs Bourne vs Wareham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.5%).
Bourne has the shortest commute (26 min average).
Wareham has the most affordable homes ($425k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Ashland | Bourne | Wareham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 18,873Lowest |
20,323 |
23,302Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.5%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+3.5%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6.8% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.1±1.4Lowest 5% above MA |
52±1.8 30% above MA |
52.1±3.1Highest 30% above MA |
| Wareham and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
14.7%±2.3 MA: 19.4% |
13.1%±2.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Ashland and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 17.9% |
29.8%±3.1Highest MA: 17.9% |
26.2%±3.9 MA: 17.9% |
| Bourne and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 60.7%Highest MA: 47.3% |
46% MA: 47.3% |
27.1%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.2Lowest MA: 7.9% |
6.6%±1.6Highest MA: 7.9% |
5.6%±1.5 MA: 7.9% |
| Bourne and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $127,539±$11kHighest 23% above MA |
$91,058±$7k 12% below MA |
$90,383±$11kLowest 13% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $611,700±$18kHighest 9% above MA |
$575,600±$28k about the MA average |
$424,500±$21kLowest 24% below MA |
| Ashland and Bourne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,452±$298Highest 39% above MA |
$1,379±$300Lowest 22% below MA |
$1,504±$180 15% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,444Highest 24% above MA |
$4,485 25% below MA |
$4,341Lowest 28% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.2%±14.2 MA: 51.8% |
62.8%±5.5Highest MA: 51.8% |
51.4%±23.3Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Bourne and Ashland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.5%Lowest MA: 10% |
6.2% MA: 10% |
6.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.3%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
75.8% MA: 62.5% |
83.5%Highest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 20 yrs newer than MA |
1975 11 yrs newer than MA |
1958Lowest 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 37 minHighest 26% above MA |
26 minLowest 11% below MA |
28 min 5% below MA |
| Work from home | 22.7%±3.3Highest MA: 18.6% |
14.9%±3.1 MA: 18.6% |
12.4%±3.6Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #42 of 282 in MA | #206 of 282 in MA | #272 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Ashland | Bourne · Upper Cape Cod Regional Vocational Technical | Wareham |
| High school in town | Ashland High | Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical | Wareham Senior High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
9.8 |
8.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.